Posts Tagged ‘climate’

Climate Scientist Michael Mann to Speak at UNC Asheville

Monday, March 26th, 2012

ASHEVILLE NC – Renowned climate scientist Michael E. Mann will discuss his new book, “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars,” at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, at UNC Asheville’s Humanities Lecture Hall. His talk is free and open to the public.

Michael MannMann, a Penn State faculty member who holds joint positions in the departments of meteorology and geosciences, is director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center. He was a lead author on the Observed Climate Variability and Change chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Scientific Assessment Report in 2001. He shared the Nobel Peace Prize with other IPCC authors in 2007. He is also co-founder and contributor to the award-winning science website RealClimate.org.

Mann is best known for his work reconstructing climate fluctuations over the past one thousand years. Dubbed the hockey stick graph, the chart was prominently featured in the IPCC 2001 report on global climate and became a central icon in the controversy that followed the report’s publication, known to many as the “climate wars.” In his talk, Mann will share the story of the science and politics behind the controversy surrounding climate change.

Mann has received a number of honors and awards, including NOAA’s outstanding publication award in 2002 and selection by Scientific American as one of the 50 leading visionaries in science and technology in 2002.

Mann’s visit is being hosted by UNC Asheville’s Climate Change and Society certificate program, which is part of UNC Asheville’s Masters of Liberal Arts program, and the departments of Psychology and Atmospheric Science.

For more information on Mann’s talk, contact Michael Neelon, UNC Asheville assistant professor of Psychology, at 828.250.2359 or email mneelon@unca.edu.

Asheville Climate Seminar on Tropical Cyclones

Monday, October 10th, 2011

ASHEVILLE NC – The Institute for Climate Education at A-B Tech will present a free seminar on tropical cyclones and the possible threat they pose to North Carolina at 7 p.m. Oct. 13 in Ferguson Auditorium on the College’s Asheville campus.

“Climate Change and Tropical Cyclones: An Increasing Threat to North Carolina?” will be presented by Dr. Chris Hennon, Associate Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at UNC Asheville.

“North Carolina is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of tropical cyclones. The response of tropical cyclones to climate change is more complicated than many other variables.  It is not simply a matter of ‘it’s getting warmer so hurricanes are going to be more frequent and stronger’.  It is in our state’s and region’s best interest to understand the response so that we can engage in long-term planning to mitigate any additional consequences from these storms,” said Hennon.

The Institute for Climate Education was established at A-B Tech to offer classes, workshops, seminars and other training for the general public about climate and climatology. For more information, visit http://www1.abtech.edu/content/institute-climate-education/overview

Find our more about Asheville weather and events.

Learn About Climate From an Insider

Saturday, July 16th, 2011

ASHEVILLE, NC – The Institute for Climate Education at A-B Tech will hold its first free public seminar at 7 p.m. July 20 in Ferguson Auditorium on the College’s Asheville campus for community members to learn about climate-related issues.

“An Insider’s Look: What YOU need to know about climate” will be presented by Mark Brooks, Climate Services Coordinator/Environmental Meteorologist, of the State Climate Office of North Carolina in Raleigh. “Climate has a significant impact on every sector of our economy,” said Brooks. “However, it is possible to mitigate the negative impacts of climate related risk and capitalize on the favorable impacts.” There will be a question and answer session following Brooks’ presentation.

“This is an excellent opportunity to be able to hear the latest about what is going on in the ever-changing world of climate science,” said Pamela McCown, Coordinator for the Institute for Climate Education. “We are all impacted daily by weather and climate, and this is a great chance to be able to hear about the climate services that are available to us through the state. Anyone who has to make decisions related to weather and climate should plan on attending. ”

The Institute for Climate Education was established at A-B Tech to offer classes, workshops, seminars and other training for the general public about climate and climatology. For more information, visit http://www1.abtech.edu/content/institute-climate-education/overview